Few things are more frustrating than tire kicker prospects. You know, prospects who drag the sales process on by asking questions, seeming to test the tires of your product or service, but you never get closer to making the sale. Is there a way to identify these types of unfruitful prospects so that you won’t waste so much time on them? Meredith Hart, writing for HubSpot, says there are a handful of ways.

Does the Prospect Fit Your Target Demographic?

Maybe this prospect came to you, or perhaps you were having a slow month and were putting your feelers out anywhere you could in search of a sale. Either way, you can identify a tire kicker prospect by how close the bullseye they are in your target demographic. Hart says to ask yourself questions such as, “Are they in the industry or territory I’m targeting?” and “Does my product or service solve a problem their industry is facing?” If the answer is no, it’s unlikely you’ll land a sale with this prospect.

They Don’t Have an Immediate Need

Even if the prospect does fall within your target demographic, they still may be a tire kicker. Another clue is if they obviously don’t have a sense of urgency to have their needs fulfilled. If you ask them what the consequences will be of putting off solving their problem and they respond nonchalantly about how there wouldn’t be that big of a difference, they don’t actually have a need. The prospect may just be scoping out their options without any intention of making a purchase from a new company. If they don't seem fully interested in what you’re selling, it’s safe to say you shouldn’t continue dedicating much of your time to convincing them otherwise.

Their Budget is Too Low

Has the prospect seemed determined to get you to lower the cost of your product or service? Hart says that tire kicker prospects, “often come up with budget objections, which can be an indicator that they're not actually interested in purchasing your product or service. Or, they simply can't afford your product.” If the prospect is attempting to get you to dramatically lower the cost, Hart recommends responding with, “The best products are often more expensive.” Their response may expose their true intentions.